Everton fans are not the biggest fans of the Premier League and those they employ, with last season only adding to the disparity between the two sides.
Whether it be refereeing decisions or PSR controversy, the damage done is now irreparable, and whichever official is named as the man in charge before a match kicks off is now always met with widespread booing.
Craig Pawson is no exception to that rule, and arguably, especially after last night, will draw the loudest groan of them all now.
After all, it was not just Evertonians left baffled with his refereeing display last night.
Everton fans fume at Craig Pawson performance
In fact, there were plenty quick to point out Pawson’s failures, which even spurred Seamus Coleman to confront the referee at full-time.
Even Dan Burn made a VAR admission that did not paint the official in the best light.
Others on X then chimed in…
Notorious Evertonian and former WBC champion boxer Tony Bellew added: ‘Typical!! Always different when it’s Everton! You can’t get a better goal scoring opportunity than that! It’s a red card and a penalty all day!! DISGRACE!!! #VAR #Corruptionofthehighestorder’.
Influencer Tom Garratt would offer his verdict: ‘Maybe I’m going mad but to me that’s a stone wall penalty for Everton. Can’t believe that hasn’t been given.’
Craig Pawson has a bad history with Everton
This is not the first time where Pawson has made himself an enemy of Goodison Park, nor will it be the last given how he continues to alienate himself from the Everton faithful.
Referees are not expected to be well-liked by fans of various clubs, but a degree of respect is expected, brought about through solid, quiet performances where they fly under the radar.
This official seldom does that, and combing back through his time refereeing the Toffees, this notion is proven.
Even though Pawson was the man to award Everton their first penalty of that season back in March, even then he missed the blatant foul, with only VAR’s intervention allowing Beto the chance to score.
He was also the man in charge when Allan was controversially sent off against Newcastle United back in 2022 too.
Going even further back, and again Phil Jagielka was dismissed back in 2018 against Wolverhampton Wanderers in another questionable opening-day decision in the Premier League.
Even as head of VAR, Pawson was the man who told Chris Kavanagh, who didn’t even give a foul, to send off Dominic Calvert-Lewin in their FA Cup match vs Crystal Palace last season. That decision was later overturned.
These are just a brief selection of some of his worst errors in charge of Everton matches, of which there are surely so many more examples.
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